Snow Hill to have a Q’ cook-off Saturday

Snow Hill — Greene County is gearing up for “Q” on the Creek, a new fundraiser for the sixth annual N.C. Sweet Potato Festival which will be held Oct. 24-26.

The barbecue cook-off will be combined with Greene’s Got Talent, as well as additional entertainment on Saturday.

The events will happen at the Elaney Wood Heritage Farmers Market and county athletic complex starting with the delivery of 14 pigs at 7 a.m. and cooking by 14 teams from Greene and surrounding counties beginning at 7:30 a.m.

Judging will be conducted at 4:30 p.m. by certified judges of the N.C. Pork Council, and plates will start being sold around 6 p.m. with entertainment to follow by Nell Cannon and Alan Ginn.

Trudy B. Hardy, the Greene County Chamber of Commerce director and co-chairwoman of the Sweet Potato Festival executive committee, said the number of teams is twice as many as she expected.

Stephen Rouse, a member of the Chamber board and committee, said he believes the cook-off will be a good start for the success of future festivals.

“It kind of surprised me,” he said. “We didn’t think we’d have that many teams. But we’re glad to have them.”

The local grocery store, Food Pride, is donating a pig for the plates and supplying the remainder for the cook-off.

The entry fee for the cook-off is $50 per team. The N.C. Sweet Potato Festival is offering $250 for first place, $150 for second place, $50 for third place and a fourth-place trophy for presentation. For applications, email greensweet@gmail.com or call 252-747-8090. Applications are also available for download at ncsweetpotatofestival.com.

With the county’s finances in turmoil and deficits from last year’s festival totaling more than $20,000, Hardy wrote the county manager’s office in May saying the Chamber wanted to set up an executive committee to organize this year’s festival.

“This committee hasn’t had a lot of time to put things together,” she said, “but we have worked very hard to make sure we have a festival this year.”

Hardy said people were telling her they want to have a festival this year, so she is “being mindful” of how much money is being spent.

“Our goal,” she said, “is we’re not going to walk away and not be able to pay for the festival.”

Two citizens have donated funds to pay for the bands on Friday and Saturday night at the festival.

County Coordinator Misty Chase said the county will be donating this year in-kind contributions of rent and utilities for the festival, and the past unpaid bills of $3,269 have been paid.

Past festivals cost the county about $15,000, except for last year, which cost as much as $6,000, Chase said. Last year, the county didn’t have name bands.

The talent contest was the idea of Cannon, who is not on the festival committee.

“(Cannon) took it on as a project,” Hardy said. “It’s a way to promote our talent... That’s one thing Greene County has a lot of is talent.”

On Thursday, five individuals and groups participated in the Greene’s Got Talent audition. All five will perform at the “Q” where two finalists will be selected to perform at the Sweet Potato Festival.

“This is the first time we’ve done this,” Kim Barrow, committee co-chairwoman with Hardy, said about the talent show. “So, we’re pleased we’ve got five to participate.”

While tables will be set up inside the market building for eating, it’s recommended visitors bring lawn chairs as the events will take place outdoors at the recreation complex.

Barbecue plates will be sold at $10 for adults and $5 for senior citizens, and children younger than 12 can eat free.

Tickets are available at the Chamber office, 215 N. Greene St.; Greene Street Spa; Harper’s Landscaping; Beaman’s restaurant; Greene County Cooperative Extension; and the town halls of Snow Hill, Hookerton and Walstonburg.

“We certainly do hope,” Hardy said, “the citizens from around the Greene County area will support this event to help raise money for the festival. This gives us an opportunity to highlight and to promote our Greene County pork.”

For information, call the Greene County Chamber of Commerce at 252-747-8090.

Margaret Fisher can be reached at 252-559-1082 or Margaret.Fisher@Kinston.com. Follow her on Twitter @MargaretFishr.